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1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord when #2 Kin. 24:17, 18; Jer. 32:1–3; 37:1; 52:1–3King Zedekiah sent to him #1 Chr. 9:12; Jer. 38:1Pashhur the son of Melchiah, and #2 Kin. 25:18; Jer. 29:25; 37:3Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying, 2#Ex. 9:28; 1 Sam. 9:9; Jer. 37:3, 7; Ezek. 14:7; 20:1–3“Please inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all His wonderful works, that theking may go away from us.”

3Then Jeremiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah, 4‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and #Is. 13:4; Jer. 39:3; Lam. 2:5, 7; Zech. 14:2I will assemble them in the midst of this city. 5I #Jer. 32:24; 33:5; Is. 63:10Myself will fight against you with an #Ex. 6:6; Deut. 4:34; Jer. 6:12outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and fury and great wrath. 6I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence. 7And afterward,” says the Lord, #2 Kin. 25:5–7, 18–21; Jer. 37:17; 39:5; 52:9“I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence and the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword. #Deut. 28:50; 2 Chr. 36:17; Jer. 13:14; Ezek. 7:9; Hab. 1:6–10He shall not spare them, or have pity or mercy.” ’

8“Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, #Deut. 30:15, 19; Is. 1:19, 20I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9He who #Jer. 38:2remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall #Jer. 39:18live, and his life shall be as a prize to him. 10For I have #Lev. 17:10; Jer. 44:11, 27; Amos 9:4set My face against this city for adversity and not for good,” says the Lord. #Jer. 38:3“It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall #2 Kin. 25:9; 2 Chr. 36:19; Jer. 34:2, 22; 37:10burn it with fire.” ’

Message to the House of David

11“And concerning the house of the king of Judah, say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, 12O house of David! Thus says the Lord: